


Taking Care of Her

by dumbjocklesbian



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Adora (She-Ra) Needs a Hug, Adora (She-Ra) is a Dork, Canon Compliant, Catra (She-Ra) Needs a Hug, Catra is a Great Girlfriend, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, adora says I love you like a lot, but also fluff, catradora, little angst, they use pet names cause of course they do, they're healing okay, they're so in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-08
Updated: 2020-06-08
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:33:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24598318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dumbjocklesbian/pseuds/dumbjocklesbian
Summary: "Catra had always given Adora’s voice a level of importance others denied her. Catra had never cared about Adora’s title or her work ethic—Catra wanted to know Adora’s thoughts, desires, wishes, fears. Catra was the safest place in all of Etheria for Adora, especially now. This was where Adora could let loose. She was allowed to tell Catra what was bothering her."ORAdora is still impacted by the terror of almost losing Catra on Horde Prime's ship. She finally opens up to Catra about it, and Catra proves to be more comforting than Adora could've imagined.
Relationships: Adora & Catra (She-Ra), Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Comments: 15
Kudos: 499





	Taking Care of Her

**Author's Note:**

> this has been sitting on my computer for like a week lol I hope y'all like it!! I have so many feelings about these two :')
> 
> also, as a forewarning, the rating is just cause im paranoid and really only relates to the last 500 words or so, but I’m open to continuing this if anyone wants me to?
> 
> 13 December 2020: my wonderful and talented friend, Skye, created some magnificent fan art for this fic on Twitter: https://twitter.com/happy_one_year/status/1338371537200615426  
> Don't forget to follow them to be blessed with more of their incredible art! That's free serotonin!

Returning to her room in Brightmoon Castle was quickly becoming Adora’s favorite part of the day. She enjoyed her continued duties as She-Ra, —hey, even without a war, an 8-foot-tall warrior was a _very_ helpful resource—and she was happy to complete them, but there was something more exciting that awaited her each evening: alone time with her girlfriend, Catra.

They’d been _dating_ (just thinking the word still made Adora giddy) for slightly over six months now, growing closer and closer with each passing day. After the war, the Best Friend Squad had devoted two months to repairing kingdoms before they left to explore the possibility of returning magic to the universe. They’d been successful on a few planets so far, but had returned five weeks ago. Being away from the kingdom for such an extended period of time made Glimmer worried, despite the technology they were able to use to communicate with the Princesses who’d remained on Etheria. Honestly, none of them could complain. Seeing that there was a lack of impeding intergalactic threats, they had all the time in the world to plan for the next adventure. Right now, though, living a domestic life was a welcome change.

Adora treasured these moments. Something about seeing Catra’s mismatched eyes gleam up at her always made her feel more at ease. But it was more than that, too. This bliss, this comfort of being able to rely on each other again was the only thing Adora had ever wanted on her own, without impending pressures from an abusive figure or an intrusive destiny. Catra was a manifestation of a new part of her life—one where she was allowed the privilege of seeking happiness for herself for the first time. And, by gods, did Catra make Adora happy. She couldn’t even begin to consider a more rewarding sight at the end of a long day. And today had definitely been grueling.

This evening, however, Adora was not blessed with the typical sight of her girlfriend racing towards her. Instead, as she opened the door to their room, she was met with a view of Catra laying on their bed, seemingly fast asleep. She was facing their open window, her back to the door, and Adora was almost certain Catra had drifted off in a spare patch of sun earlier in the day. She’d fallen into that habit since they’d returned from their last space adventure. Catra had missed her naps while they’d been away, having settled into them as her first post-war hobby.

Adora’s chest couldn’t help but squeeze at the sight. She felt immense relief knowing Catra could be relaxed enough to nap, a luxury they’d never been afforded growing up. An affectionate smile pulled on her lips as one of Catra’s ear twitched slightly, likely picking up on some tiny sound, like Adora’s soft breathing. Some of the day’s anxieties floated from her shoulders. _Gods, she’s so cute_. Something about seeing Catra in such a peaceful state just made Adora soft, but it wasn’t in a negative sense. She’d grown up believing that the things that made your heart stutter were your weaknesses, but, she now understood that her love for Catra made her stronger.

There wasn’t a single part of Adora that doubted that.

And she couldn’t be prouder to love someone so deeply.

She paused for a minute, leaning against the doorframe to admire the view. The sun was just beginning to set. Dinner wouldn’t be served for another couple of hours, but, honestly, Adora would happily end this day early for some extra time to hold Catra in her arms. How could she ever get _this_ lucky? Her head tilted farther into the doorframe as her mind wandered. Being loved by someone as amazing as Catra made her want to do a backflip and sob at the same time. She hoped, more than anything, to be worthy of the other girl’s affection.

Adora was determined to be worth it—to be worth every moment they thought they’d never be happy again. She wanted them to have the type of love that made all those lonely nights on opposite sides of the war worthwhile. The payoff needed to be worth the pain they’d endured. She _needed_ to be the perfect girlfriend for Catra.

Because as far as she was concerned, just getting to know Catra was _safe_ and _happy_ made all those terrible, miserable, horrifying times worth it. She’d felt so prepared to sacrifice herself at the Heart of Etheria because she trusted her friends to keep each other safe. She could’ve died peacefully, knowing Catra was being taken care of, even if Catra never got to know the extent of Adora’s true feelings.

But, that wouldn’t have sat well for Catra, who needed Adora to die knowing she was not only loved, but cherished. And, naturally, Adora couldn’t let the love of her life suffer, not when she felt the same way. So, she allowed herself to blindly, achingly _want_ for the first time in her life. It was the sole reason she’d made it out of there alive.

She knew, as she looked over at her snoring girlfriend, that she would do anything for her. Almost dying was a very small price to pay for Catra’s endless cuddles, or the way those mischievous eyes sparkled when she knew she’d tricked Adora, for the way she muttered “you’re such an idiot” a million times a day, the dramatic tail swishes she performed hourly, the way her soft purrs gave Adora a stronger sense of peace than anything else in the world ever had. Adora brought a hand to her heart, practically forcing the intense beating to slow down. There were _so many_ things to love about Catra. And every inch of Adora was completely dedicated to loving her, from their darkest moments until forever. This was the bliss only found in unconditional love.

She just hoped Catra also thought their love was worth all the pain they’d been through.

Though it was difficult to draw her eyes away, Adora eventually realized she’d need to cross the room to slip into her sleep tank top and shorts if she wanted to achieve her end goal: an early night with extra time to hold her girlfriend.. She walked on her tiptoes, pausing at every accidental creak in the floorboard to double-check on Catra’s sleeping form. As she disrobed, she got distracted by a particularly loud snore-purr hybrid coming from Catra. “Fuck, she’s so cute,” she whispered to herself, momentarily forgetting to be careful as her belt fell to the ground with an obnoxious _clang!_

 _Smooth, Adora, real smooth!_ She chastised herself mentally, sighing in relief at the realization that Catra hadn’t stirred at the noise. Quickly and carefully, she finished getting herself ready for bed and gingerly climbed beneath the covers to join her lover.

A rush of endorphins flooded her body at the warmth that awaited her. Catra slept in her typical sports bra and underwear, leaving all her stripes exposed for Adora to gaze upon. She remembered being absolutely _obsessed_ with them when the two of they were growing up in the Horde (largely for gay reasons she didn’t understand until much later). There’d always been so much about Catra that Adora was enamored with—her speed, her determination, her boldness, her jokes.

It amazed her that they’d been able to grow so much together, even when they were apart. “I must be the luckiest person in the entire universe,” she whispered, fingers ghosting up to scratch Catra’s ears. She watched them twitch and let out a small giggle. “I’m so in love with you, Catra.”

“I’m in love with you, too, you absolute dork.”

Adora blinked hard, sitting up to peer at her girlfriend’s face. “Catra? You’re awake?”

Catra sighed. “Adora, when are you gonna learn that having ‘cat-like senses’ means I can definitely hear you drop your belt while changing?” Catra let out a playful laugh, turning onto her back to look into Adora’s grey-blue eyes. “I don’t know how _you_ were the savior of the universe.”

Catra’s words were met with an eye-roll, which would have been more convincing if it weren’t accompanied by the huge grin plastered upon Adora’s face. She knew this script, knew the way Catra was playing with her right now. “Hmm, I seem to remember a certain kiss from this really cool girl being, ya know, the main event of the whole saving the universe thing.”

Catra’s eyes sparkled beneath a seductive smile. “Oh, really? What was she like?”

Adora beamed back, matching Catra’s playful energy perfectly. Butterflies built in her stomach as she thought about how _effortless_ it all felt. _How did I ever survive without this?_ “Oh, you don’t know her.”

Within seconds, Catra screamed, “You butthead!” as she threw a pillow into Adora’s face, muffling her cackles. Adora flicked the pillow away, eyes focusing on the beautiful sight of Catra laughing. Her smile took up nearly her entire face, eyes closed as pure joy reigned across her features. Adora’s chest squeezed as she remembered a million other nights they’d spent laughing like this together. _And now, I’ll never have to spend a night away from her again._

In the Horde, there’d been a constant demand for secrecy. Catra was the _only_ person Adora broke rules for. She could never get enough time with her best friend, and if that meant staying up well past curfew, spending hours whispering secret dreams and childish jokes back and forth, then so be it. Besides, Catra brought out a freedom Adora’s life otherwise lacked. With Catra, Adora was allowed to make mistakes, was allowed to have ridiculous ideas, was allowed to be herself. Any time spent with Catra had always been worthwhile to her, even when they’d been enemies. (Adora would _never_ admit it, but she knew, deep down, that her feelings for Catra were a huge motivation in her battle strategies. She didn’t want anyone else going after Catra; she never wanted someone else to take things too far. Her instinct to protect Catra never left her. And getting a chance to be close to Catra? She wasn’t going to pass that up, war strategy be damned.)

She couldn’t help the relief that came with the knowledge that now, after so many years of pining after the laughing girl in front of her, she could finally find peace in the knowledge that they were together, and that they were both equally in love with one another. The tightness that had been rooted in her chest all day loosened. A sigh of contentment escaped her.

“You good there, Princess? You’re staring again.” Cockiness overtook Catra’s features as she sat up to lean in towards her girlfriend.

“Hmm, what?” Adora snapped back into reality as Catra’s words caught up to her. “Pfft, I wasn’t staring! I don’t do that!”

Catra rolled her eyes in obvious disbelief, though Adora knew her well enough to know she enjoyed being admired. “Uh-huh, _sure_. You’re such an idiot.”

“I’m sorry I woke you up, though.”

Catra’s shoulders slipped into a carefree shrug. “It’s okay. I don’t mind, I’ve been resting since my session with Perfuma ended, anyway. It wasn’t exactly a short nap. Besides, Melog really missed you, or whatever.”

Eyebrows flying up in suspicion, Adora clarified, “Melog?”

“Don’t get all annoying, you weirdo! Put your eyebrows down!”

“I missed ‘Melog,’ too.” A teasing grin was plastered to Adora’s face. She stretched forward slightly, pressing a kiss to Catra’s cheek. The annoyance melted from her expression, filling Adora with immediate delight. “Where are they? And how were things with Perfuma?”

“I think they went to wander around. I’m not really sure. They might come back now that I’m awake. And the session was good, actually, really good. She told me I’m making a lot of progress on my, ya know, vulnerability issues.” Catra glanced around the room, a little self-conscious over admitting how well things were going. “Lots of it is thanks to you.” The words barely surpassed a whisper.

They took a moment to look at each other, love and affection flowing from both of their gazes. Catra crawled into Adora’s lap, situating them face-to-face, Adora back against their extravagant headboard. Out of habit, their foreheads pressed together. Adora rubbed small circles into the fur on Catra’s flanks, earning her a grateful purr and smile. She couldn’t help the flush of pride that took hold of her body, prompting her to pull Catra in closer. _I love seeing her happy like this_. “I’m never going to get over how much I love you.”

Catra perked up at that remark, an easy sense of arrogance overtaking her. There were days, especially early in their relationship, when all of Adora’s love was too much for her. They’d had countless arguments where Catra had insisted that she didn’t _deserve_ Adora’s love, that Adora truly should have left her to rot on some abandoned planet out in space. Slowly, though, Catra found herself more able to trust that she deserved this love, something they both took pride in. “I love you, too. You’re still a total dork, though.”

“Hmm, I’ll take it if I get to be your dork,” Adora teased, goofy grin back on her face.

A flush of passiveness overtook Catra. “Mine,” she breathed, placing her face in the crook of Adora’s neck.

“Are you smelling me?” Adora’s words barely escaped through her giggles.

Catra didn’t answer. Instead, she took in a large, deep inhale. Adora’s giggle turned into a full belly laugh, thinking Catra was just playing around. But a look of concern grew on Catra’s face, brows furrowing together automatically. “Did you have an anxiety attack today?”

Adora’s eyes widened. “You can smell fear? You never told me that!”

Catra let out an automatic groan. “No, dummy, I can smell the lavender lotion you put on. I know you’re supposed to use that lotion when you’re anxious, cause Perfuma told you to during your session two weeks ago.” Her gaze softened. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“Well, I, uh, I mean, if you want to know—”

“Nuh-uh, Adora,” Catra’s head shook sharply, arms crossing over her chest, “don’t pull that on me. I want to know if _you_ want to talk about it.” She punctured the pronoun with a gentle, yet firm, look directly into Adora’s eyes. Catra wouldn’t push Adora to talk; she knew better than most that processing emotions privately is often the most effective route. But she also knew Adora wouldn’t share unless she was asked. And they were supposed to “work on communicating.” This seemed like a good way to do that. After all, she wanted Adora to trust her, and she craved any affirmation that she had earned that trust. Besides, Adora was starting to understand that bottling up her emotions didn’t count as a healthy coping mechanism.

Adora felt her shoulders loosen. Wanting wasn’t something she’d ever been allowed to do. In the Horde, her life had been dedicated to pleasing others. She’d been a good, strong, diligent soldier. The praise she’d earned made her feel like she was doing the right thing, and that was all that really mattered to her at the time. And then, of course, she’d found the sword, and doing the right thing was a different ball game, but the process still looked the same. She still had expectations to meet, ones that eliminated the option of failure. She still held little regard for her own feelings, still let the greater good beat out her emotional needs on a daily basis.

But then, once Catra had joined them, she’d proven herself as the one person who consistently made an effort to _know_ what Adora wanted. Catra had always given Adora’s voice a level of importance others denied her. Catra had never cared about Adora’s title or her work ethic—Catra wanted to know Adora’s thoughts, desires, wishes, fears. Catra was the safest place in all of Etheria for Adora, especially now. This was where Adora could let loose. She was allowed to tell Catra what was bothering her.

“I’d like to tell you. I-I _want_ to. Really badly.” Adora clamped her eyes shut, shame crawling up her body at the admission of her needs. She felt echoes of her past advisors silencing her, guilting her away from discussing something like this.

Catra knew to expect this, knew it was hard for Adora. She brought a practiced hand up to Adora’s cheek, offering reassurance. “You’re always allowed to tell me.” She cleared her throat briefly, unsettled by the vulnerability in her voice. “I, uh, really appreciate when you do.” A gentle look passed between the two lovers, both pairs of eyes shining with gratitude for the other.

Adora smiled softly, knowing Catra was affirming her to try to help her recondition her thought process around the importance of her needs. That effort made her heart swell. _She cares so much_.

“Tell me if you need me to stop, okay? Your emotions are important, too.”

Catra nodded, allowing a reassuring smile to float upon her face, trying to lean into the trust Adora was showing her. It felt good. Her ears perked up, just slightly.

“Well, I spent most of the day helping the refugees move into their new apartments. But I was stationed near the, uh, um, what _used to be_ the Fright Zone.” She swallowed thickly, flashing Catra a look for consent continue. She didn’t want to inadvertently trigger Catra in this process. Though her shoulders tensed briefly, Catra gave Adora’s hand an affirming squeeze, urging her to continue. “And, I, um, sorta remembered some things about growing up there, and just . . . the amount of _pressure_ there was to succeed. How scared I was all the time. And I thought I needed a break, so I told Glimmer I was gonna go do some work back here, in Brightmoon.”

Astonishment found its way into Catra’s tone easily. “You asked for what you needed? That’s amazing, babe. I’m proud of you.”

Adora’s sheepish smile only lasted a moment before she continued. “Swift Wind flew me back over this way, and I, um.” Her voice broke. Tears flooded her eyes. “I think it might’ve been the flying that got to me . . . Or maybe it was just remembering our upbringing, and then getting into a spiral . . . I’m not really sure, but I remembered . . . how things went when we rescued you, and h-how I w-wasn’t sure I could be She-Ra, and I-I th-thought h-how t-terrible it would’ve been if I’d f-f-failed.”

Once all the words were out there, Catra swung her arms around Adora and engulfed her trembling girlfriend into her arms. “It’s okay, Adora, I’m here. I’ve got you. It’s over now, it’s all over. And we have each other, okay? Nothing really bad can happen when we love each other this much.”

 _Our new promise. The one we won’t break._ Adora clung tenderly to Catra’s shoulders, grounding herself in her girlfriend’s presence. She pushed herself into Catra, taking more and more, so deeply relieved to know that Catra was here completely. So relieved to know they were together, the way they’d been every day for many months now. So relieved to know she was _hers_. “I just don’t know what I would’ve done if I’d lost you.” Tears continued to fall from Adora’s eyes, but Catra didn’t seem to mind. Adora needed this emotional breakdown. She didn’t need to pretend to be so strong, especially not in front of Catra, who often needed similar treatment. They did this together—they were a team.

“Shh, it’s okay, I’m here. It’s over, my love, it’s all over.” There was a part of Catra that wanted to scold Adora for bottling this in. If she was crying this much, this probably wasn’t the first time she’d had a flashback to that particular instance. Catra felt her jaw harden at the thought of Adora keeping her feelings from her, but she did her best to repress her anger for the time being. They could discuss that issue later. “Thank you for telling me, Adora. It really means a lot to me.”

Adora let out a small, chocked sob against her girlfriend’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, I know I’m being irrational, I—”

“Adora! I don’t wanna hear another invalidating word from your mouth, you hear me?” Catra pushed Adora away from her slightly, making intense eye contact with her. “It’s normal to feel haunted by a moment like that.” Catra shut her own eyes tightly for a moment, seeming to be at war with herself over whether she wanted to speak or not. Adora watched intently, curiosity riddled across her tear-stained features. “You wanna know something?”

Not sure how to find her words, Adora could only nod, eyes still fixed on Catra. Adora saw Catra’s shoulders release as she breathed out, preparing to speak. “Sometimes, when I wake up in the middle of the night, I have to watch you for a second to make sure you’re still breathing, cause seeing you asleep makes me think of that moment at the Heart.”

Adora pulled away from Catra’s arms, eyes wide. Shock was written across every one of her features. “Y-you do?”

Catra nodded. “Is it really that surprising?” She looked a little hurt, and she shifted a bit farther from Adora, though still remained mostly on her lap.

“I didn’t mean it like that. I guess . . . I just forget that’s how that moment looked for you, or something? I, uh, had this sort of vision of the future. I didn’t realize I probably looked like I’d,” Adora moved her hands in a circular motion, trying to convey her meaning without actually saying the words aloud, “ya know, from your perspective.”

Catra’s expression turned curious. She couldn’t exactly hold this one against Adora. She knew her girlfriend didn’t always think through her words in advance. In a way, Catra loved that about her. It was the reason for, like, 75% of the funny, dumb things Adora said. It was just also the reason for the not-so-funny dumb things, too. It was easier to latch onto the other thing Adora’s brought up, a concept they hadn’t yet discussed, too wrapped up in the present and the past to think much about it. “A vision of the future, huh?”

Adora gave a small smile. “Yeah, we looked a bit older. Maybe, like, five or ten years from now?” A giggle escaped her. “Glimmer was chasing you around, trying to brush your hair. It was grown back out, and it was up in a ponytail.” Adora blushed slightly, making brief eye contact with Catra. “It, uh, looked really, _really_ good on you.”

“You’d let intrude on your affair with ponytails? That’s real love, babe.”

Adora giggled, grateful for a moment to just stare at her lover again. A sense of comfort washed over her as she remembered what Catra had said before about checking on her in her sleep. _She wants to protect me, too. Just as much as I want to protect her._ “I check on your breathing sometimes, too, just so you know.”

“Yeah, I know. You’re not exactly quiet. Again with the cat ears, remember?” Playfully, Catra moved her ears, something she used to do when cheering up Adora when they were younger. They were both pleased as the memory returned to them.

Another soft giggle escaped Adora’s lips. Catra’s ear perked up automatically, and she pressed a kiss to her girlfriend’s temple. She made sure she was looking into Adora’s eyes when she spoke next. “Thank you for telling me, Adora. It really means a lot to me.”

Adora whispered an affectionate, “I love you more than words,” before pulling Catra closer again, sighing in her scent. “I’m so glad you’re safe now. I can’t even tell you how glad I am.” She peppered kisses into Catra’s shoulder and collarbone, relishing in the joy of her very real, very non-chipped girlfriend.

“Me too, trust me. And I love you, too.”

Those moments on Horde Prime’s ship had been terrifying for both of them. Catra had been grappling with reality, trying to fight against the hive mind to just _get to Adora_. It was the only unique thought she’d been able to get through, and it had practically _killed_ her inside knowing she couldn’t get to her idiotically bold Adora. The stupid, selfless hero who’d risked everything for _her_ , a gamble she often struggled to feel worthy of.

But in that moment, hearing the distress in Adora’s voice as she recounted her personal doubts, as she trembled over the fear of losing Catra . . . It loosened something in Catra’s heart. It gave her a reminder that Adora had been intentional in her risk. To Adora, the fear of a life without Catra was more than enough of a reason to save her. To Adora, saving Catra was far more important than saving the universe.

This wasn’t the first time Catra had put those pieces together. That thought had finally, _finally_ registered itself in her mind about a month ago during a session with Perfuma. But thinking about it now, with Adora in her arms, felt very different. It wasn’t the same as processing a thought during a session with someone and struggling to identify a specific emotion the thought made her feel.

No, this felt different. This was tangible love, not just the discussion or the memory of it. There was love in this moment, from Adora’s touch and her vulnerable confession. But that feeling, coupled with the reminder that this love had always been there, that Adora had never even considered giving up on Catra entirely . . . That was _a lot_ for Catra to experience at once.

Adora felt Catra’s tears dampen the top of her forehead. Cautiously, she raised her head to meet Catra’s closed eyes. Catra brought her hands up to cover her face, but Adora grabbed her wrists gently. Catra trembled under that loving touch, yet another reminder of the appreciation Adora had for her.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay.” Adora mentally kicked herself for jumping right to that form of assurance. It didn’t need to be “okay,” it needed to be talked about. She tried again, voice impossibly gentle, “What’s on your mind, baby?” Concern seemed to be flowing from every crevice of her body. As she pulled away from Catra to look into her eyes, her mind propelled itself into compiling a list of all the possible reasons Catra could be crying right now. Her brows pulled together as her worry escalated. Though it took some effort, she restrained herself from trying to mind-read for Catra. She needed to offer the space for her girlfriend to speak her mind.

“I just . . . forget sometimes, how it was scary for you, cause, you, uh, um, you . . . love me . . . just as much as I love you.” Catra swallowed hard, and choked out her next words. She knew she _needed_ to say them, but finally admitting this breakthrough took a lot out of her. “And I, um, I d-deserve that l-l-love from . . . you.”

Adora’s heart felt like it could burst. “Oh, Catra,” she breathed, barely able to speak. She squeezed her arms around her girlfriend again, pulling them both back down among the blankets and pillows in an ungraceful way. Catra let out a soft surprised noise at the feeling, but shifted closer into her girlfriend as she settled down. Adora continued to cradle her, petting the soft fur on her back with one hand while the other massaged her head. Unable to stop herself, Adora alternated between kissing the top of Catra’s head and whispering kind words to her.

“I’m so proud of you.” _Kiss._

“You amaze me.” _Kiss_.

“I might be the happiest I’ve ever been right now.” _Kiss._

“I love you so much.” _Kiss._

Both of their tears subsided, and the room filled with love.

“We just made a lot of progress, huh?”

“Yeah, we’re a pretty good team.”

Adora shifted her head so she could look into Catra’s eyes. “I’m so proud of you,” she whispered again, pressing their foreheads together. Affection practically radiated from her eyes, her touch, her _existence_.

Catra had no idea how to respond with any more words, so she did what felt natural. She pressed her lips to Adora’s, her body full on top of Adora’s. A thrill went through her as she thought about all those nights she’d dreamed of doing this back in the Horde. She remembered the few nights when one of them had experienced bad enough nightmares that they could justify sleeping side-by-side, the way a part of her could always be comforted by Adora’s mere presence. Adora’s love was the only thing she’d ever let herself hope for.

And now, here she was, laying on top of that same girl, _finally_ believing she could deserve to be loved by her. Of all the things she’d allowed herself to imagine experiencing with Adora . . . Well, this had never been one of them. She couldn’t have imagined Adora _actually_ loving her back _this_ much, couldn’t have imagined ever being _worthy_ of that. But now, she was relishing in both of those feelings. That emotion propelled forward in their kiss. Catra wasn’t just kissing Adora for her current self—she was kissing Adora for all the versions of herself that hadn’t believed this feeling would ever be possible.

She wasn’t a fool—she knew there was a very good chance this feeling could evaporate by morning. Her healing had _not_ been linear by any means, but she had to reward herself for her victories, right?

This kiss was _easily_ cutting it as a reward.

Adora pressed a smile against Catra’s lips, blissed out after such an emotional night. That was one of their healthiest conversations to date. They’d validated each other, Adora had shared something important, Catra had been comforting and loving, _and_ Catra had said the one thing Adora had always hoped she’d learn.

Why was that the _hottest_ thing that had ever happened?

Catra seemed to be feeling the same way, judging from the way her teeth were grazing dangerously close to Adora’s bottom lip. Adora opened her mouth slightly, trying to translate a hint to Catra about what she wanted. She felt weird to be overly forward about her wishes right then, not wanting to accidentally pick a terrible time to be horny.

But, _fuck_ , had it been exhilarating to hear Catra say she _deserved_ Adora’s love.

Catra bit down on Adora’s now-accessible bottom lip, earning a satisfied moan in response. Adora felt an intense heat travel to her core. On instinct, she brought a hand up into Catra’s unruly hair, pulling them closer together. One of her legs wrapped around Catra’s legs, too.

And she didn’t miss Catra’s tail tangling itself around her bicep.

_Oh. Maybe this isn’t an inappropriate time to be horny. Maybe Catra’s feeling it, too?_

Deciding to test her theory, Adora moved her left thigh between Catra’s legs, flexing and unflexing the muscles there. Catra panted against Adora’s lips over the contact and retaliated with a sharp suck near Adora’s collarbone. “Catra!” Adora sighed.

“What, emotional intimacy making you feel something, Adora? Can’t say I’m surprised, you always were a sap.”

Adora glared back at Catra. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, you don’t, huh?” Catra purred right next to her girlfriend’s ear. “Hey, Adora, remember how I have a really good sense of smell? Something tells me you’ve ruined yet _another_ pair of underwear tonight, just from a conversation and a few kisses.”

Adora scoffed. “Right, cause you’re _totally_ not ready to cum on my thigh right now.”

Catra blinked. “Adora, if you _really_ think I’d ever be that easy, you’re dumber than I thought.”

“Oh, really? You wanna see about that?” Adora flipped them over, pinning Catra below her easily. She didn’t miss the way Catra’s eyes rolled into the back of her head at the shift. (Probably from equal parts arousal and annoyance at her girlfriend’s arrogance.) Adora took a minute to study the sight of her girlfriend below her, to soak in her beauty. “Is this okay?”

“Fuck yes. Promise I can get you off after, though?”

“I promise.”


End file.
